El Dorado Arts District

The El Dorado City Council will contribute $9 million toward the development of a downtown arts district. The unanimous vote came late last week.

It’s part of a larger $50 million initiative that will include a renovation of the historic Rialto Theatre, a city landmark that dates back to 1929. It will house the Southern Theatre Festival. The funding also will be used to build an arts administration building, public art gallery, parks, and public restrooms, among other upgrades, according to Austin Barrow, president of El Dorado Festivals and Events Inc.